Coronavirus

[Newbridge Wolf]

I love George Orwell as a writer and social observer, which is what he was really good at. I do wish however, that 1984 had not been written as it is possibly the most misquoted and misunderstood book in existence at this time.

We all enjoy social freedoms, we live in a tolerant country (by and large) that respects individuals rights. This does not absolve us from our own social responsibility, like not murdering people, not infringing on others rights and this responsibility surely includes as individuals to do all you can to protect others in society who may be exposed to a virus that could kill them.

Getting vaccinated is not an Orwellian theme, nor is society pushing individuals towards this - it is merely government upholding the rights of the vulnerable. I find the arguments used akin to defending your right to use racist language as any control against this is an infringement on your basic right to act and behave as you wish, of course this is hogwash and demonstrates the farcical nature of their arguments.

Too many people talk about the big bad government and all their powers of control, if you actually think these guys in charge have a plan beyond the next election then you are giving them seriously more credit than I could ever, in fact look at British history it is a series of bundling mistakes where we somehow end up getting out of the brown sticky stuff when it looks like all is lost.

 

[WolfMan]

If you can have a vaccine, and if you have refused it, then good. They are walking round with the potential to kill others.

This is from the Lancet:

"Black people older than 80 years were only half as likely as White people to have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

A UK-wide survey of 12,035 participants investigating attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination showed that Black and Black British respondents had the highest rate of vaccine hesitancy (71·8%), followed by Pakistani and Bangladeshi respondents (42·3%), compared with White British or Irish respondents (15·2%) who were not likely or very unlikely to take a vaccine.

Since the start of the COVID-19 vaccine programme, we, as health researchers, have sought to engage with over 200 community organisations that provide religious or social support for minority ethnic groups to offer information about available vaccines, answer questions, and encourage dialogue. We met with groups on online meeting platforms during the third national lockdown to answer questions and discuss concerns. The reasons for vaccine hesitancy are complex, multifactorial, and vary according to age, sex, and ethnic group. However, two broad themes were apparent.

The first theme relates to historical marginalisation, and this gap appears to have widened during the pandemic. Distrust of government and public health bodies has arisen due to ongoing discrimination (cited earlier this year by the independent National Health Service Race Observatory Board), previous unethical research (eg, in US Tuskegee syphilis study), and fears that groups are being misled about vaccines.

All have contributed to current hesitancy among minority groups in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. We found organisations supporting asylum seekers and migrants raise concerns regarding deportation through registering for a vaccine. These communities, in addition to minority ethnic groups who live in the most socioeconomically deprived urban areas, also highlighted concerns about access barriers in receiving a vaccine."

It's not as simple as they've decided against being vaccinated so fuck them if they are excluded from society. It's the sort of thing you hear people saying about homeless of vulnerable people, it's their choice to be there or its their bad choices that have led them to that, so fuck them.

 

[Tredman]

All have contributed to current hesitancy among minority groups in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. We found organisations supporting asylum seekers and migrants raise concerns regarding deportation through registering for a vaccine. These communities, in addition to minority ethnic groups who live in the most socioeconomically deprived urban areas, also highlighted concerns about access barriers in receiving a vaccine."

It's not as simple as they've decided against being vaccinated so fuck them if they are excluded from society. It's the sort of thing you hear people saying about homeless of vulnerable people, it's their choice to be there or its their bad choices that have led them to that, so fuck them.

I would suggest those groups are unlikely to be overly affected by the inability to go to sports events, bars or restaurants. And if they are affected then get it or don't go.

 

[WolfmanOz]

Well late this morning the Victorian Premier announced Melbourne will come out of lockdown at 11.59pm on Thursday, October 21st, as we will pass 70% vaxxed on this day. We should hit 80% vaxxed a week later on October 31st.

It will mean our latest lockdown has lasted 78 days for a world record total of 263 days i.e. close to 9 months out of the last 19 !

The curfew will end and we will be can travel anywhere within Melbourne but not regional Victoria. Also visitors (up to 10) will be allowed into your home and shops and restaurants will be allowed to have indoor service (but with very restrictive numbers).

This is just pure politics though - we're running at around 2,000 cases per day (albeit the hospitalisations and deaths are reasonably low), as the Victorian Govt. needs a major distractions as there is currently a very public anti-corruption hearing being held here in Melbourne which is exposing many of the rotten corrupt practices of this appalling govt.

And then you have Hobart, where with ONE case this weekend, the Tassie State Premier locked down the city for 3 days !

This last lockdown has been there hardest by the longest stretch . . . lockdown fatigue has gripped the city. I really fear what it will be like. I know I've really struggled this time round and I'd reckon I'm pretty resilient - many others will struggle with emotional and financial devastation that the lockdowns have wrought in Melbourne.

Business experts are forecasting that over 50% of small businesses (from the start of 2019) in Melbourne would have ceased and/or be terminated by the end of the year. The number of shops/outlets that are boarded up and vacation is truly depressing.

If it wasn't for our youngest daughter studying at uni, we'd be leaving Melbourne - but we will consider our options over the coming months. Also my first grand-daughter is due next February, so it's not an easy decision to make.

 

[Tredman]

That’s them told

https://twitter.com/x/status/1449360086883880962

 

[Paul]

To be fair I'm quite partial to my Brian

 

[Templeton Peck]

Most deaths since March. We really have got the govt we deserve.

 

[darlowolf64]

We have the govt the "people" voted for and, looking at polls, intend to vote for again. You couldn't make it up

 

[Tony Towner]

223 a day in October will be 1000+ at points Dec-Feb

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

Any idea how many of these were unvaccinated? I'm sorry but I don't have much sympathy for those that have refused vaccinations.

 

[Del Woppio]

They're dead.

 

[Tony Towner]

256 people had died when double jabbed by 13th Sept with all the usual caveats about Covid appearing on the death certificate

 

[PuntsWolf]

What are we proposing as an alternative?

 

[AndyWolves]

I think there is a certain amount of inevitability about these deaths (as horrible as that is to say). We can either have them now or later but I don't think we can avoid them as zero Covid isn't going to happen.

The only thing we can really do is ensure hospitals can cope.

 

[James]

The press are enjoying themselves with the fear mongering this morning.

This is going to be a long hard winter especially with the Flu season about to hit the country really hard.

 

[Tony Towner]

The press are enjoying themselves with the fear mongering this morning.

This is going to be a long hard winter especially with the Flu season about to hit the country really hard.

You keep saying this James, but it's not fear mongering it's the reality. It was and is the Government strategy for people to die whilst keeping the country open. Personally, I think it was broadly the correct decision to open up when we did, although I'd like to have seen masks enforced more rigidly in certain situations, particularly on public transport. I would also have made more exclusions for those who weren't jabbed - in New York anyone over 12 who isn't can't go to a bar, restaurant, concert etc. I'm sure if you really want to there are ways around that, but it's an additional penalty for the selfish pricks, gullible and loons that haven't been jabbed. I don't really give a toss about the civil liberties or vaccination apartheid arguments as long as those who can't get the jab for whatever reason are excluded from any penalties

You have to ask yourself why our confirmed infection rates are nearly 5 times higher than any other country in Europe and whether that's an acceptable price to pay?

What I don't like is the blasé attitude to death on here from some and elsewhere. I get there's an element of bringing it on yourself in certain instances, but don't think that loss should just be dismissed they are still someone's husband, wife, mother, son, father, daughter.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I’m fully expecting masks back and Covid passports for large events within a couple of weeks.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Saw something on Twitter last night that reckoned 20% of all new cases globally are happening in the UK, that's a damning stat if true.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

278k global cases reported yesterday. 43k in UK. So about 15.5% on yesterday’s figures.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Not a bad effort from less than 1% of the population.